Wear and Tear of Tyres: A Stealthy Source of Microplastics in the Environment

Kole, Pieter Jan; Löhr, Ansje; Belleghem, Frank Van; Ragas, A.M.J.

doi:10.3390/ijerph14101265

Cited by 881 publications

(566 citation statements)

References 73 publications

(115 reference statements)

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“…Modern tires contain fillers (e.g., carbon black), additives, metallic and polymeric fibers, and natural and synthetic rubbers (primarily butadiene and styrene‐butadiene polymers). Kole et al () estimated that each person in the U.S. generated 4.7 kg year −1 of tire wear microplastics, equivalent to 1.8 million metric tons year −1 . These authors hypothesized that tire wear may contribute 5–10% of global ocean plastics loading, as well as 3–7% of PM2.5 in urban air.…”

Section: Microplastics In the Indoor And Terrestrial Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Global Perspective on Microplastics

Hale¹,

Seeley²,

Guardia³

et al. 2020

JGR Oceans

667

270

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Society has become increasingly reliant on plastics since commercial production began in about 1950. Their versatility, stability, light weight, and low production costs have fueled global demand. Most plastics are initially used and discarded on land. Nonetheless, the amount of microplastics in some oceanic compartments is predicted to double by 2030. To solve this global problem, we must understand plastic composition, physical forms, uses, transport, and fragmentation into microplastics (and nanoplastics). Plastic debris/microplastics arise from land disposal, wastewater treatment, tire wear, paint failure, textile washing, and at-sea losses. Riverine and atmospheric transport, storm water, and disasters facilitate releases. In surface waters plastics/microplastics weather, biofoul, aggregate, and sink, are ingested by organisms and redistributed by currents. Ocean sediments are likely the ultimate destination. Plastics release additives, concentrate environmental contaminants, and serve as substrates for biofilms, including exotic and pathogenic species. Microplastic abundance increases as fragment size decreases, as does the proportion of organisms capable of ingesting them. Particles <20 μm may penetrate cell membranes, exacerbating risks. Exposure can compromise feeding, metabolic processes, reproduction, and behavior. But more investigation is required to draw definitive conclusions. Human ingestion of contaminated seafood and water is a concern. Microplastics indoors present yet uncharacterized risks, magnified by the time we spend inside (>90%) and the abundance of polymeric products therein. Scientific challenges include improving microplastic sampling and characterization approaches, understanding long-term behavior, additive bioavailability, and organismal and ecosystem health risks. Solutions include improving globally based pollution prevention, developing degradable polymers and additives, and reducing consumption/expanding plastic reuse.

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Section: Microplastics In the Indoor And Terrestrial Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Global Perspective on Microplastics

Hale¹,

Seeley²,

Guardia³

et al. 2020

JGR Oceans

667

270

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…), soil (Hurley and Nizzetto ), roadways (Kole et al. ), storm water runoff from urban centers (Mason et al. ), freshwater lakes and streams (Dris et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What is known and unknown about the effects of plastic pollution: A meta‐analysis and systematic review

Bucci

Túlio

Rochman

2020

Ecological Applications

417

263

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As a consequence of the global ubiquity of plastic pollution, scientists, decision‐makers, and the public often ask whether macroplastics (>5 mm) and microplastics (<5 mm) have a realized ecological threat. In 2016, we conducted a systematic review of the literature and made a call for further research testing hypotheses about ecological effects. In the subsequent years, the amount of relevant research has risen tremendously. Here, we reassess the literature to determine the current weight of evidence about the effects of plastic pollution across all levels of biological organization. Our data spans marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments. We extracted data from 139 lab and field studies testing 577 independent effects across a variety of taxa and with various types, sizes, and shapes of plastic. Overall, 59% of the tested effects were detected. Of these, 58% were due to microplastics and 42% were due to macroplastics. Of the effects that were not detected, 94% were from microplastics and 6% were from macroplastics. We found evidence that whether or not an effect is detected, as well as the severity and direction of the effect, is driven by dose, particle shape, polymer type, and particle size. Based on our analyses, there is no doubt that macroplastics are causing ecological effects, however, the effects of microplastics are much more complex. We also assessed the environmental relevancy of experimental studies by comparing the doses used in each exposure to the concentrations and sizes of microplastics found in the environment. We determined that only 17% of the concentrations used in experimental studies have been found in nature, and that 80% of particle sizes used in experiments fall below the size range of the majority of environmental sampling. Based on our systematic review and meta‐analysis, we make a call for future work that recognizes the complexity of microplastics and designs tests to better understand how different types, sizes, shapes, doses, and exposure durations affect wildlife. We also call for more ecologically and environmentally relevant studies, particularly in freshwater and terrestrial environments.

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“…Particle emissions is another important problem related to vehicles. One of the main source of emission of small polymer particles (microplastics) in the environment is tire wear (Kole et al, 2017;Sommer et al, 2018). According to Kole et al (2017), pollution produced by wear and tear from tires is as important as the one produced by plastic bottles and bags and could therefore produce some effects on human health.…”

Section: Tribology and Energy Savingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One of the main source of emission of small polymer particles (microplastics) in the environment is tire wear (Kole et al, 2017;Sommer et al, 2018). According to Kole et al (2017), pollution produced by wear and tear from tires is as important as the one produced by plastic bottles and bags and could therefore produce some effects on human health. Tribological studies can be very useful for a reduction in particle emission from tires (Foitzik et al, 2018) and also from brakes (Perricone et al, 2018;Joo et al, 2019).…”

Section: Tribology and Energy Savingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tribology and Industry: From the Origins to 4.0

Ciulli

2019

Front. Mech. Eng.

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There is an increasing diffusion of the industry 4. 0 concept today. The fourth industrial revolution, following three other previous industrial revolutions, is considered related to the introduction of modern information and communication technologies in production. Tribological concepts are much older than industry. Tribology has always been connected to industrial problems from the birth of industry. It was strongly connected with the previous industrial revolutions and it is surely related to industry 4.0. In this work, the main aspects of the four industrial revolutions and the main evolutions of tribology are firstly reviewed from a historical point of view. The relationships between tribology and industry are described with particular attention to the aspects that relate the modern tribology 4.0 to industry 4.0. Tribology can have in particular a big impact on the industrial needs to reduce losses and wastes, for instance with the development of new tribological components and materials also in connection with electronic smart systems and taking advantage of the information and communication technologies.

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Wear and Tear of Tyres: A Stealthy Source of Microplastics in the Environment

Cited by 881 publications

References 73 publications

A Global Perspective on Microplastics

A Global Perspective on Microplastics

What is known and unknown about the effects of plastic pollution: A meta‐analysis and systematic review

Tribology and Industry: From the Origins to 4.0

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